Elisha Brooks's memoir recounts his journey from Illinois to California in 1850, braving harsh conditions and hostile Native American tribes along the way. Along with descriptions of the landscape and the rigors of pioneer life, Brooks includes vivid sketches of the people he met, including his own parents and his beloved wife. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.